News! Our new Kayser addition!

TINA!!! 

 Yes, meet Tina Kayser who we adopted last Sunday after several visits and research on Cairn Terriers over the last few weeks.  She's a great little soul!  Very feisty, energetic and sweet as can be.  Thanks to the Radomski's for raising such wonderful Cairns and all the time, energy and love they extend to them.  Tina is now 21 weeks old, so she's not a real young puppy.

She is already well on to being house trained after only a few days.  She walks quite well on leash and loves people!  If anyone is looking for a cute, fun Cairn, the Radomski's still have another male, Rocky - very handsome!

What a GREAT time!

Just got back from Carmel, CA where Carole and I took a wonderful workshop with Artista Creative Manifesta where we learned encaustic painting. Encaustic painting is ancient way of painting dating back to 1 BC. It was practiced then and then again in later centuries not to be seen again for many centuries. Now, it still isn't very popular, but I plan to do it again I loved it so much. Encaustic painting is painting with beeswax producing a glaze effect over your painting. Like melting candle wax, this paint dries within about 2 seconds of applying. Therefore, you must work fast and layer paints onto your supports. This process lends itself well to more abstract styles of painting, but I found it challenging to employ my more representational style to the process, too. FUN! Carmel was so beautiful and an artist's paradise boasting over 100 art galleries in a square mile. The beach was GORGEOUS, too. Here are some pictures from our time there.

Look for some pictures of some of my paintings on my painting blog next week.  They're being shipped right now.

Carole on Pebble Beach

Me, on Pebble Beach.  We just stopped on the roadside, went up the little hill and found paradise on the other side!

from a restaurant that had such a magnificent view!

The beach from Ocean Ave. in Carmel

Sunset, as Carole and I headed back to our hotel.

The Artista studio which was founded years ago by Ansel Adams!

Mr. William Harsh, our great encaustic instructor!  Check out his work here!

Carole, hard at work with her painting.

Our wonderful group of women coming from New York, DC, Canada, Mexico, Minnesota, Alabama and California!

Leslie's Shoot!

I had one of the first shoots of the season now that our weather is finally turning warmer!  Yea!!!  My sister Carole and I first ever worked with Leslie 2 years ago during our model/talent shooting event here.  Leslie was hugely pregnant - BEAUTIFUL!  We wanted to shoot again after baby, so we did last week and had a great time.  Location is what I do, and we found so many cool spots just around the neighborhood here in St. Paul.  Leslie is hoping to do some print modeling, and we hope to use some of these images.  Thanks for a fun shoot, Leslie!  You were fun to work with!

If you're interested in a shoot, be sure to check out my site and contact me.  Also, you can join my email newsletter at the top right of my blog to receive and take advantage of specials I offer.

When the cat's away...

... look what happened!  "Blue Jori!"

Several of my students got together to paint together at Julia's house the week I was away a couple of weeks ago.  The ladies did a great job, and Gay painted a portrait of her daughter Jori with only a blue (not sure which one) and white making only a tonal painting which is really neat.  The results are astounding!  She really captured a likeness, too.  Gay has been painting only for 9 months.  She is really getting into her soul deeply and tapping into her creative part.  AWESOME!  Way to go, Gay!

Last Regular Workshop of the School Year!

Yep!  The last workshop begins April 22 for Tuesday students and April 24 for Thursday.  I still have 4 spaces in the Thursday class if anyone is interested.  Workshop will include working with a model this session focusing on proportion, light and shadows for a couple of sessions.  It will be great!  See schedule below:

Start Tuesday April 22 and Thursday 24

(5 weeks this time instead of 6 weeks)

skip the week of May 12-16

continue thru May 27th and 29th

Fee is only $225 instead of $295

We will continue painting - "come if you can Tuesdays" this summer!  Pay by the class.  Fee $50/class.  Plein air painting!  Yes, we will have warm weather soooooooon!  Please contact me if interested in summer adult painting on Tuesdays!

Thanks!

Thanks to the Leslies and the Mayos for allowing me to do commissioned paintings for them recently! The Leslies wanted a street scene buzzing with people 30x40", and I did this scene from a quaint, charming town on the ocean - Sorrento, Italy. I visited Sorrento in 1994 while there for art school. BEAUTIFUL littel town!

The other painting is more of an impression of the client's husband and two children that she wanted done in the same style as a few painting I've done recently that are less detailed and have an abstract, geometric quality to them. She wanted red and blue sky. I made it up completely - knowing the husband and children and trying to convey their personalities and gestures as simply and possible. I think I captured it, and she certainly thought so! I was proud, but I know it was completely God working in me to accomplish it. Thank you, God!

Thank you Leslies and Mayos!

20% OFF! ....... thru May 3, so HURRY!

Now, you may take advantage of another offer if you missed the deal earlier! To the first 3 to respond, get 20% off a painting commission - any size painting, any choice of subject matter. See general painting pricing and contract. Contact me by responding to this post (click "comment" at the bottom of this post), and we can discuss your idea. GREAT for Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthday or any occasion where you want to give something original and unique! This special offer is only online through my blog and is good thru May 3!

Cool Stuff!

I have to say first, that I LOVE great leather products! I am a sucker for great leather belts, studded and tooled leather work. I just ordered a great belt from Free People that reminded me of the leather cuff bracelet I had as a child. It sports the same lettering font as the bracelet I had that I lost, sadly, by it coming unsnapped as I walked on the seawall of the river at our cabin and falling into the water. Boy, was I SAD! Anyway, the belt I ordered reminds me of that bracelet I had and says, "Here Comes the Sun" and has a sunrise and clouds on the back. It just came in today, and I LOVE IT! It's made by  leather artists Mark Howard and Stowe ? (Stowe Provisions) of Austin, Texas. Check out their site and read more about their work! Some pics...

SPRING AND SUMMER PAINTING - ADULTS AND KIDS!

I have devised my spring and summer workshop schedules and wanted to share so you can include in your summer plans if you so desire:

SPRING PAINTING WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

Adults ages 14 - 80

This workshop is a 5 - week block

Tuesdays April 22 - May20

Thursdays April 24 - May 22

Tuesday and Thursday Morning classes: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Fee: $225

$75 deposit to reserves your spot - goes toward fee

6 student limit per class

Sign up a friend, and get $50 off your fee!

Email me to sign up!

ADULT SUMMER PLEIN AIR PAINTING

A LA CARTE SCHEDULE

TUESDAYS 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

(Day and time may vary from week to week!)

come when you can, pay per class, the day of class!

$50/class

Summer Children Workshops!
Ages 8 - 12

August 5-7
August 12-14

All supplies provided
May plein air paint (paint outside)
$195

2 workshops $170 ea.

6 student limit, first come, first serve!
$50/workshop to reserve spot - nonrefundable - goes toward fee!
Reserve now on my "Contact" page of my site!

I'm excited...

...about this new weapon in my arsenal!!! Look at my new camera lens!!! Thanks so much to a fellow OSPer Gregg Hicks for hooking up with the sweet Nikon 70-200mm 2.8 VR lens. It is indeed SWEET! Thanks, Gregg!


Can hardly wait to shoot my location shoots with it and be able to shoot people at a distance and create such nice bokeh at greater distances. The snow is melting, and I'm ready!

Comment?

I have realized lately that some of you don't really know how to leave a comment as so many of you say that you were on my blog - but never a comment do you leave. Simply click on the the comment word at the bottom of a post to leave a comment. Very easy to do!

I love feedback from my posts, so if you so feel inclined, leave something in the form of a comment and let me know you visited.

I greatly need to feel some blog LOVE!

Thanks ahead of time...!

Sister Grace!

I just wanted to toot the horn of my sister's band called Sister Grace! They are a Christian all- girls band that also includes Tina Swindell, Whitney Hubbs, and Stephanie Fenton along with Carole Foret, my twin, who plays drums for the band. They have glorified God with their music in so many ways and to so many people seeking to hear His word through the joyful noise they make. This cd pictured above is their first release, and they will be working on their next one in the coming months that will include more upbeat music from the likes of Donna Summer and the disco era. Read below an email from one of their newer fans!

For your beautiful voices!!! - I listened to your CD all the way to work today and just now getting this email off to you TO SAY "THANK YOU" FOR THE MUSIC!!!!

I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT…

- I LOVE YOUR SONGS AND YOUR VOICES

- YOU ARE SO TALENTED AND THE MESSAGES IN THE SONGS ARE SO GREAT!!!! SO POWERFUL!!! SO MEANINGFUL!!!!

- PRAISE THE LORD AND I THANK HIM FOR ALLOWING OUR PATHS TO CROSS!

- I LOVE YOU GUYS!!! AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD TO HEAR YOU!!! WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO YOU PERFORMING AT THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY'S SURVIVOR DINNER, ON FRIDAY, APRIL 4TH, AT MAYFAIR CHURCH OF CHRIST FELLOWSHIP/GYM. WE ARE EXPECTING OVER 600 ATTENDEES!!!!!

TINA KNOWS ME SO WELL AS WE HAVE BEEN FRIENDS FOR SO MANY YEARS AT NASA - AND YES, WHITNEY - I'M SURPRISED OUT PATHS HAVE NOT CROSSED BEFORE NOW…. BUT, ANYWAY….I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WHEN I AM DOWN, FEELING LOW, AND NEED A PICK ME UP - I PUT ON AN ELVIS CD…. (MOST OF THE TIME GOSPEL) AND NOW I LISTEN TO YOU GUYS…. WELL…. YOU RATE RIGHT UP THERE WITH THE MAN!!!!

I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU PUT A SONG IN MY HEART, A SMILE ON MY FACE AND A "TEAR" IN MY EYE - WITH YOUR MUSIC. THANKS AGAIN FOR MAKING "MUSIC TO LIVE BY"

LOVE YOU. BENNIE

Buy their CD from their blog! You won't be sorry!

Idol Stuff!

OK, are you into American Idol? I have become a huge fan! I love that it's a way for those who might not otherwise ever have a chance at becoming a recording artist to catapult them into the industry. I love the competition and seeing classic music mentors coach the contestants. Anyway, all of you who enjoyed Paula Abdul in the 90s can see her just released song and video featuring her and Randy Jackson on base. Click the video to play!

Happy Birthday, Patsy!!!

We got to share in the great celebration of Patsy Stinchfield's birthday party Saturday night! What a fun time at Dixie's with the band "Power of 10" who sang some great party songs from the 70s. We've been to hear Boogie Wonderland with Randy and Patsy before as we love our 70s music. Anyway, just a few snaps. Julia Adams joined Tom and me to the party. See us and then see Patsy breakin' it down on stage, then the lovely ladies of the band. Fun night! Thanks, Stinchfields!

SPOTLIGHT ON...

... Renee Cardoso Frisch! She has been producing some really colorful compositions this painting workshop. She has a signature style with this grid and loose swirls of color within each square that is the background to her painting. Then she paints something on top (in this piece, Genesh, a Hindu god who is part elephant and part boy). I love how whatever her subject matter it is somewhat chamoflaged in the background, and after further study and engagement, one sees the image. She first did a huge Volkswagen Beetle for her first piece (30x40"), and it turned out spectacularly!

Renee has this peice for sale! Size 20x20" acrylic on canvas, $600

Contact her via email at: rcfrisch@comcast.net for more info!

Way to go, Renee!!!